The UN and Iraq

"Iran calls for democratic regime change in Iraq". Will Iran replace the US as the major force for democracy in the region?(!)." Paul Simon says: "Not until it becomes one itself; The reformers are not making a lot of headway, it seems. I enjoyed the Economist's recent survey. "The US simply expresses anger and disgust at European criticism of its plans for war against Iraq" Funny, the US has spent the last 8 months trying to get an international consensus and work through the UN. has been stymied by France, Germany, and Rrussia. Hence it is not simply expressing anger and disgust; it is complexly expressing such feelings after having billions of dollars and countless manhours wasted. We might add that the opposition of these the nations has certainly helped diminish the status of the UN and strengthen the hands of every unilateralist in the US government. Forevermore, the unilateralists will be able to crow "I told you so" and kill any future multilateral initiative they please.

These nations are entitled to their opinions and certainly have the right to exercise whatever powers the UN charter gives them. But by doing so in the fashion they have chosen, they have certainly sharpened US instincts that the UN is not worth working through. Many in Washington look at the UN and see a famously corrupt, inefficient, and undemocratic institution that has been strongly anti-American throughout most of its history. An organization moreover where repressive dictatorships of the worst kind have always had a veto vote in the security council. Viewed through that prism and the light of the current debates on Iraq, the UN looks singularly soiled to most DC policy makers right now"

RH: The UN may be famously corrupt, but that must be documented and the UN reformed, not abolished or bypassed. "The US policy makers right now" do not represent the totality of US opinion, specialists in international affairs, perhaps not even the mainstream. What do responsible people in other Western countries think of the UN?

Ronald Hilton - 3/12/03